In his first year, Lister helped coach the second varsity 8+ to its first appearance and a victory in the petite finals of the South/Central Regional Championships. He spent his second year recruiting and developing walk-on athletes from campus where his enthusiasm and creative leadership led to the largest novice class in team history. He is once again working with the varsity group and is coaching the second varsity 8+ this season.

In 2007, Lister implemented a system to evaluate and monitor the physiological development of the team through protocols including lactic acid and lean body mass testing with the latest technology at the Duke Sports Medicine K Lab. The K Lab is a human performance research laboratory dedicated to the understanding and prevention of athletic injury.

In his 16 years of coaching, Lister has developed athletes at numerous programs in the northeast, including the Cornell heavyweight men. He also coached for Skidmore, Wellesley, SUNY-Albany, Brookline High School and Community Rowing Inc., of Boston. Lister also founded the Saratoga Rowing Association which has developed into the largest scholastic team in New York and one of the most competitive junior programs in the country. Many of the athletes on the team that Lister coached have gone on to row successfully at top rowing programs in the country.

Lister also spent his summer in 2008 as the Team Manager for the US Rowing U23 squad. His duties included assisted the coaching staff and all 60 athletes with their daily needs as well as serving as a liasion between the US coaches and the International Federation of Rowing Associations officials. He also traveled with the team to the 2008 World Rowing U23 Championships in Brandenburg, Germany.

Lister’s skill in boat maintenance and repair developed during his time as a boat builder for Van Dusen Racing Shells in Concord, Mass. Van Dusen racing shells are among the top single racing shells built in the United States.

Lister is originally from upstate New York. He received his bachelors degree from SUNY-Albany and has a master’s degree in exercise science from Skidmore College.

He currently resides in Durham with his wife, Meg, and daughters, Gwen and Maggie.